


Scars

by CrazySpaceFairy



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: (Maybe) Eventual Smut, But I tagged it anyway, Depression, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Gender-Neutral Frisk, May not actually be graphic violence, Papyrus Knows More Than He Lets On, Rating May Change, Selectively Mute Frisk, Smut Will Be Warned In Notes, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2018-11-11 11:58:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11147931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazySpaceFairy/pseuds/CrazySpaceFairy
Summary: Keeley is a young woman who has drifted through life over the past few years. She has a job, her parents are supportive, and she does have one or two friends. But she's been feeling like her life has no direction, and struggling with depression doesn't really help matters.During a hike on Mt. Ebott, she unwittingly trips and falls down a hole. She quickly realizes that she is trapped, she is not alone, and monsters are real. But the most surprising thing is that this random event leads her to the most unlikely soul that teaches her how to smile again.





	1. Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This is my first ever submission to the Archive, and frankly, I am vibrating with nervous energy. I've read so many wonderful stories here of varying fandoms, having always wanted to submit something myself. I'm a super shy person when it comes to showing my work, but I've noticed that the Archive seems to be a pretty supportive community, so I decided to take the plunge.
> 
> I don't see very many fics involving Papyrus/Reader or Papyrus/OC, and really...he was my favorite character from the first time I played Undertale (of course Game Grump's playthrough of it helped with Ross' great voice-overs.)
> 
> So um, enjoy? Yeah, enjoy.

_With every heartbeat I have left_  
_I will defend your every breath,_  
_And I'll do better_  
_~ Light, Sleeping At Last_

Mt. Ebott was pleasantly breezy this afternoon, trees rustling in the wind and carrying the scent of grass and flowers. The quiet chirps of birds and the distant sound of a stream added to the peaceful ambiance blanketing the trail. Only the crunching of feet on the somewhat unkempt path interrupted the tranquil atmosphere.

Pale blue eyes looked closely at the screen of a smartphone, moving from tree to bush to sky, then back again. A small click would punctuate the calm, and the picture would either be accepted or quickly deleted. Keeley had emerged from the dark cavern of her room on this day, a precious day off from her work at the record store, to take a hike. She enjoyed her work a lot, but even people who loved their jobs also loved to have a day off.

She was a bit regretful that she hadn't just brought her camera, but she wasn't even sure if the thing still worked after it fell off of her dresser one morning and made a very uncomfortable sound upon connecting with the floor. For weeks afterward she would wince every time something made an impact with a hard surface. But, this was the future, and phones had better cameras every half a year...or however often companies were pushing them onto the shelves.

Smiling faintly at a shot she had just taken of a bird peeking out from the leaves of a tree, Keeley finally took stock of her surroundings. She'd been following the screen on her phone rather than looking in front of her since she reached the crest of a hill, and now was a good time to actually find out where she had wandered. Trees, grass, bird, cave, flowers—wait, rewind. Her eyes were drawn to the dark opening in the side of a jagged cliff face, curiosity immediately piqued.

Her fingers were swiping over to a flashlight app before she'd even really made up her mind on whether or not she was going in. Common sense was a thing she generally liked to believe she possessed, but she had never seen this cave before, and this wasn't exactly her first visit to Mt. Ebott. Common sense aside, no person in their right mind wouldn't be at least a _bit_ curious about where a random cave on a mountain lead. “Just a peek,” she mumbled beneath her breath, seemingly trying to convince herself that that was all she wanted.

The light from her phone pierced into the darkness ahead, highlighting uneven walls and a passage leading deeper into the mountain. The temptation to investigate further grew ever stronger as she held her phone further inside without actually stepping forward. She moved the light up toward the ceiling, every video game involving caves coming back to her as she examined it for any sign of bats. Not that she was afraid of them...much...but getting a bat to the face for poking her head into a cave was currently high on her list of things she didn't want to happen because she decided to go outside today.

Finding no bats in the near vicinity, and presumably within the cave proper, Keeley did a few seconds of mental debate before deciding, 'What's the worse that could happen?' It was this burst of self-confidence that lead her to step into the cave mouth and begin to make her way inside. Using one of the walls as a guide, since the light from what was essentially a pocket flashlight only got you so far, she eventually reached a more open space where light filtered faintly from cracks and holes in the ceiling.

The floor was covered in vines and moss, a clear sign that no one had been here in ages. This seemed like the perfect place to find a burned out campfire surrounded by empty beer cans, so not seeing any sign of anyone having been in here was almost eerie. It felt almost forbidden, tinged with an edge of danger. After surveying the room to her left and right, she focused her attention directly in front of her. The vines were thicker as she stepped further into the room, and whether through the failings of what little light she had, or the lack of widespread light from above, the middle of the room was shrouded in shadow.

 This was quite the cavern she had found herself in, but not altogether everything she had expected. Perhaps it was one too many fantasy novels, but normally caves always had things like treasure, dragons, stuff like that. Of course, this being the real world, anything of the sort was unlikely. Though it was pretty fascinating to see what a place that only nature had touched for an untold amount of years looked like. Humans were still creatures of habit, and re-purposing or raiding natural sanctuaries like this was par for the course. Still...she still found it a bit uncomfortable to not even see a single cigarette. The very lack of a human presence in a place so close to town...she swallowed thickly against the small rush of unbidden fear. It was like this place was warding itself from all interference, simply by existing. Suddenly, Keeley felt very much like a trespasser in a place she was not meant to be.

Shaking her head and trying to dispel the feeling, her feet carried her a few steps further inside. Just a quick look around, then she would leave with her curiosity satisfied. Looking upward, she examined the light pouring in from the ceiling, bringing her phone upward and trying to fit the scene into the frame. So lost was she in her attempts, that when she finally had the desired angle and depressed her finger on the shutter, she felt her foot suddenly catch on something.

Her eyes widened marginally as her body was sent forward, weightlessness settling over her before the distinct feeling of a drop hit her with full force. Her stomach bottomed out, and her hands flailed desperately to catch hold of something, but met only air as the ceiling above her grew further and further away. Only when the realization that she had fallen into what could be an impossibly large pit had finally clicked in her mind did she let out a scream.

* * *

Her eyes shot open an indeterminate amount of time later, a gasp of air filling her lungs as the events that lead up to now quickly replayed in her mind. Her gaze was naturally drawn above her, on her back as she was, to the light filtering down. Taking a few smaller breaths, she experimentally moved her arms and legs, bracing for the pain of broken bones. However, other than a few twinges of soreness, nothing appeared to be broken or out of place. She was either one of the luckiest people alive, or the fall wasn't nearly as far as she thought.

Shifting again, she noticed for the first time that she was laying on something soft. Yeah, there was a bit of poking from the things inside the rucksack on her back, but the soft caress of something incredibly not-pointy or stabby on her arms begged investigation.

 Sitting up with a small hiss of pain from the discomfort in her muscles, Keeley looked down and for the first time noticed that she wasn't laying on an uneven rock floor, but a small bed of yellow flowers. Looking toward the rest of the room revealed large stone pillars reaching toward the ceiling and the opening from which she had fallen, vines full of leaves climbing them in spirals.

 The first proper thought, other than the realization she had survived the fall, was an obvious one: where the hell had she ended up? At first glance, this place looked like an underground cave straight out of the first screen of an adventure game. If she had been in a better mood, Keeley would have probably tried to figure out which music would best suit the environment. But after confirming that she was still in one piece, the panic began to set in. She had just fallen who knows how many feet, down a hole in a cave that no one had been inside in who knows how long. Her parents may have been aware that she had a day off, but she had only quietly muttered where she was going while leaving the house earlier that day. It could be days before anyone put the dots together and decided to check Mt. Ebott, not to mention possibly many more before the cave was found and they decided to check the hole.

 “No, no...” Keeley's arms came around her reflexively, digging into the flannel of her old button down. She liked to think she was a strong person, she could take a punch and she could take it if things didn't go her way. But falling down a hole? Being stranded on a mountain? She had very little food and maybe a bottle of water, and the only reason she had any change of clothes was because she hadn't bothered to empty her pack before leaving. Not to mention her phone—wait, where was her phone?

 She tried to leap up on reflex upon realizing her phone was no longer in her hand, quickly realizing this was a bad idea as pain shot up her spine. Cursing quietly and taking hissing breaths of air between her teeth, Keeley looked around the area at her feet while rubbing her lower back. The flowers where she had been laying looked to be in pretty rough shape, some of them pressed completely flat, while others were missing petals or bent at the stem. A small twinge of guilt hit her as she continued to scan the flowers around her, feeling pretty lousy for disturbing flowers that had done nothing wrong.

 While shifting her feet to check behind her, she felt her shoe connect with something hard. A quick check of the area near her foot revealed her phone, half-hidden beneath the golden flowers. Keeley made a small sound of triumph, carefully removing her phone from the flowers without disturbing them any further than necessary. Quickly pressing the home button, she was relieved to see that it still worked, though there were scuff marks and small scratches on her phone's case. Moving quickly through menus, she found her home phone number and pressed the call button, bringing the phone to her ear as she looked up at the hole she'd fallen from.

 A few moments of silence came over the line, before a small tone sounded and she brought the phone back into her view in frustration. The phone still worked, but for the first time she noticed that she had no connection to any nearby networks. Keeley tried a few more times with different numbers, but was met with the same result. Without anything to connect to, she was holding a glorified piece of plastic and hardware that was only good for pointless games and a makeshift flashlight. The knowledge that she had no current way to contact anyone in town for help...it added to her growing panic.

 She pressed her phone to her chest, noticing that her breathing had become shallower. Keeley immediately tried to put her situation in a more positive light to steer her thoughts from hopelessness. She was alive, she could move, and she did have a bit of food and water. Another glance around the room revealed a passage leading away from the patch of flowers she was standing in. Surely this lead to an exit that she could use to get out and back home. Yeah, there was no way she was trapped here. No possible way!

 Keeley spent a few more minutes examining the room much more closely before deciding that there was nothing else of importance. She had entertained the thought of trying to climb out of the hole, but none of the pillars were worn in a way to give proper handholds, and the vines weren't nearly as strong as they appeared. Her only real hope toward any form of progress was to try the passage she had noticed. Perhaps as an excuse to stay in this cavern for a few minutes longer, she knelt down and opened her rucksack, checking the contents the make sure nothing was broken. While she assured herself it was a logical step before setting out, Keeley knew that she just wanted an excuse to stay here. After realizing there was no immediate danger, the thought of leaving this room scared her. But, after checking that everything was in order and tying her button down around her waist, she had no further excuses.

 Hoisting her rucksack up and looping one of the straps over her arm, Keeley gripped her phone and took a few steps forward toward the passage...

 She immediately froze upon hearing what sounded very much like footsteps coming from further in. Before she could decide whether or not she wanted to hide or that she was just being silly, a shape emerged from what looked like a doorway at the far end of the hall.

 “Oh, my goodness. _Another_ human?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like it? Was it not too terrible? You know writers, we always think our work isn't good enough. I've tried to not repeat sentences, descriptions or lead ins too much, but even I have a problem with sometimes using my favorite and familiar writing quirks I've used for years.
> 
> I see a lot of really sweet, nice Readers or OCs, but they're still sassy. I think they're all amazingly well written and I love every one of them in all of the stories I've read. But I wanted Keeley to sort of appeal/relate to a commonplace person in our society, who can be happy and sassy, but is also struggling with a very real thing that many people face every day. 
> 
> It's not that I want Keeley to be the average every-girl that everyone can relate to, but just a person who has depression for...really no reason. Depression is a thing that sometimes just happens to you, and there is no real root of it. This is how I experience depression, and how I have for years. Depression takes many forms, and doesn't always have a clear reason for being there. 
> 
> She's a bit different from the sort of female OCs I usually write, since I love the sunny, positive, silly and sarcastic girls, since I'm pretty familiar with being one myself. But I also do have a side where I'm just pessimistic, negative and always expecting the worst. This won't be all that Keeley is, but it's a large part of her character.
> 
> I'm also going to try to keep the relationship progression slow, but even I get a bit impatient to get the to fluffy bits. So...slow burn, but at a reasonable pace, I suppose.
> 
> Thank you for reading all of my rambling!
> 
> If you want to follow my Tumblr I have specifically for my writing: https://crazyspacefairy.tumblr.com/


	2. You Are Safe Here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, you guys! I hadn't expected many people to pay attention to this, let alone get kudos! I'm super excited you like this! I'm not nearly as proud of this one as I was with the first chapter, but I'm pretty unfamiliar with writing Toriel, so that's probably part of it.
> 
> As always, Undertale and it's characters are copyright Toby Fox. The only thing I own is Keeley.
> 
> crazyspacefairy.tumblr.com

_You know we've all got battle scars  
_ _~ Battle Scars, Paradise Fears_

 A scream immediately began to well up in her throat, but she swallowed it forcefully. What? _What?_ That was definitely a goat something-or-other in purple robes. Talking directly to her, and looking quite concerned. Did she hit her head harder than she thought? Was she even awake right now? This could all just be an incredibly vivid dream, or a hallucination. But the goat monster in front of her takes a step forward, face a picture of concern when she does not answer.

“My child, are you hurt?” This has to be the most realistic dream she has ever had. Probably the craziest too. But really, Keeley knew she was kidding herself. This was real, it was happening, and there was a goat monster asking about her well-being.

“I-I'm okay.” She responds on impulse, but the goat monster seems relieved by her response. But there is a flash of sadness across her face as she looks down, holding one furry hand to her chest. “Another human has fallen...?” _Another?_ Did that imply she wasn't the only one who had ever fallen down this hole? This opened an entirely new line of questions Keeley wanted to ask, namely, if the humans had ever made their way out.

The goat woman (judging by her voice) seemed to settle herself in whatever she had been thinking of, turning her eyes back up to meet Keeley's. “Forgive my manners. I am called Toriel.” That was a...monster-like name? But it was pretty, it suited her. There was silence for a few seconds before she realized it was her turn. “Oh, uh...I'm Keeley.” She stuck her hand out on impulse, since this was how she was used to greeting someone she didn't know. Toriel seemed a bit surprised, maybe confused, but caught on quickly and grasped Keeley's hands. Oh, wow...her hands were so warm and soft!

They both smiled at each other, though Keeley's felt a bit forced. Toriel looked past her to the flower bed, walking closer to examine it. For the first time she noticed that the kind monster was holding a watering pail, and from the way she was looking at the flowers, she must have been taking care of them. Currently she was no doubt looking at the squashed and mangled flowers she had left in her wake when she finally stood up.

“Oh man, I'm _so_ sorry. I didn't realize I'd landed in flowers when I woke up and...and if I'd gotten up a bit faster...” Nobody liked seeing things wrecked, especially things they had worked hard to raise and care for. She remembered distinctly what her mother's reaction had been when Keeley had decided to use her flower bed as the prime location for digging to the other side of the world when she was a kid. Oh boy, she was mad for _weeks_ and wouldn't let her anywhere near the bed for months afterward.

Toriel shook her head, and Keeley was expecting a reprimand, but she just smiled over her shoulder at the increasingly confused young woman. “Flowers are resilient. I am sure with a bit of love and care, they shall bounce back from this.” Her voice was warm and kind, and soothed Keeley quite unexpectedly. She had a voice that was perfect for assuaging all of your worries, no matter how big and horrible they seemed.

She watched Toriel water the flowers, sometimes adjusting them or pulling a stray weed. She did everything with love and care, taking her time without any sense of urgency. The amount of time that passed as she just stood and watched was uncertain, but eventually, Toriel stood and walked back over to Keeley. “My ch—Keeley, was it? Please, would you come with me to my home?” At the young woman's confused look, she smiled, her eyes twinkling. “You do not plan to stay here, do you?”

A small laugh left her, and Keeley looked down at her shoes a bit sheepish. “It uh...I mean, no, not really.” She was a bit frustrated by how she was acting, truth be told. Keeley was normally hard as nails, a bit detached, sure of herself. Before this kind woman she was like a kid, nervous and afraid to offend. But Toriel either failed to notice, or she did not care or think it important.

The walk through the ruins was mostly filled with silence, Keeley observing her surroundings as they moved. This had to be one of the weirdest places she had been, and this was leaving out the fact that she had just met a talking goat monster. Long corridors with bridges over water, random pillars and vines along the walls. There was even a spiked floor, but Toriel assured her it was perfectly safe as long as she kept to the path. That was a tense minute, or however long it took them to cross it; she'd practically stuck to Toriel's back until they were across.

There was a moment when they reached a crossroads and Keeley looked to the path they hadn't taken. She inquired about it, and was told it lead to an overlook of Home. This was just...confusing, as she wasn't sure if she meant _her_ home or if that was the name of something else.

Toriel could probably sense her curiosity, as her immediate response to the silence was, “Would you like to take a look?”

“Yes, of course. Y'know, if it's not inconvenient.” She tried to play it nonchalantly, keep it cool, she was a grown woman after all. Her cheeks burned a little in embarrassment, but Toriel simply chuckled.

“If you follow this road,” Toriel indicated a passage in front of her, “You will reach my home. I will go ahead of you to prepare some things.”

Keeley nodded in understanding, waiting until Toriel had started toward her home before following the other hallway, eventually emerging from an archway onto a balcony. She wasn't quite sure what she had been expecting, but her arms limply dropped from their crossed position at the sight before her. So many buildings, tall and short stretched out below her, and even as she braced her hands on the railing and leaned forward, she couldn't see the end of them in the distance. This was...a _city_ , underground from the looks of it, housed many people. But...there was no movement, no lights, it looked and felt empty and dead. Perhaps when Toriel had referred to this place as 'The Ruins,' she had meant it was the remains of a place where monsters lived.

She observed the scenery for a few minutes longer before turning back, retracing her steps and following the path Toriel had gone down. The house shared the same stone as the walls of the ruins, with vibrant red leaves at the base of a tree and near the house. It actually looked kind of foreboding, more like a creepy hideout than a home. But Toriel had told her this was the way to go, and there hadn't been any other paths...

The inside was drastically different than what the entrance lead her to believe. It felt homey, warm, and there were bright colors everywhere. Was this really underground? It felt more like she had stepped into her grandmother's house; it even smelled like it, too.

Keeley followed the faint noise of dishes to the left, entering a dining room slash living room with a crackling fire in a fireplace. A comfy looking chair sat near the fire and there was a bookshelf filled to the brim with books. The room felt inviting and safe, but Keeley felt tightly wound, the uncomfortable sensation of sweat on the back of her neck. She was fidgety, restless, unsure if she should sit or stand. She still felt grounded from the faint sounds of movement in the adjacent room, but her situation was all too surreal to not have an impact. The stories about monsters being banished, trapped under Mt. Ebott hundreds of years ago...they were real. _Monsters_ were real, living so close to humanity, but so far away at the same time.

There was an itchy sensation at her fingertips, the ghost of strings from her old, beat up guitar. Whenever she was stressed out or needed a distraction, she had always reached for it, strumming nonsense or little melodies she had made up on the spot. She felt vulnerable and wrong without the lifeline she had had for so long, unconsciously playing with the fabric of the button down shirt tied around her waist. This was a familiar feeling, a familiar article of clothing she had worn so many times that it was soft and pliable.

She was a coil, poised and ready to spring, and Toriel emerging from what she presumed to be the kitchen nearly made her snap. Keeley barely fought down the urge to jump, only giving her a smile she hoped was convincing. Toriel was accommodating, whether she picked up on the young woman's nervousness or not, inviting her to sit down at the table as she poured two cups of tea.

Keeley took a seat, looking down at the tea in front of her curiously. The smell wafting from the cup was warm, a hint of cinnamon soothing her senses. It was warm in her hands and even warmer going down, spreading to the far corners of her body. Her body began to relax, unwinding and distancing itself from the overwhelming stress she had unconsciously been putting herself under. She was safe here, there was nothing to be afraid of now.

Toriel was curious, but not overly-so, patiently waiting for Keeley to talk as she saw fit. She explained how she'd fallen down a hole in the cave above, idly spinning the saucer her cup sat on.

“...So that's how I got here. Dumb luck or misfortune, really. But I was wondering...is there a way to get out of here?”

The kind monster before her suddenly grew silent, suddenly pensive. Keeley swore she saw a flicker of the same sadness she had seen during their first meeting. Toriel seemed hesitant to respond, taking her time formulating her reply.

Minutes ticked by, and she felt that little bubble of fear forming in her stomach. “There... _is_ a way out of here, right?” Her companion's silence ate at the fragile confidence Keeley had been forming.

“Of course there is. But...” The sadness on her face seemed to be forced down, replaced with an unidentifiable emotion. “It may not be safe.”

She didn't understand—of _course_ she didn't. It's a cave so, yeah, of course it's dangerous. There could be even more pitfalls she wasn't aware of, dead ends or unstable ceilings. But Toriel was acting like there was more to it than that, like there was something else she would have to be worried about other than the obvious cave hazards. This was...starting to get more and more worrisome the longer the silence dragged on.

“I am not the only one here in the underground. There are many more of my kind, and I myself would never harm a human. However...” Toriel's gaze grew dark, “Asgore will kill you.”

“Wait, who is Asgore?”

“He is the King of the underground. He will kill you, just as he has killed the other humans, because he needs your soul.”

“I'm...I'm sorry? My _soul.._?” Keeley laughed quietly, as the very idea was absurd. She wasn't necessarily a spiritual person, but she did think that anyone having a soul as part of who they are wasn't too crazy an idea. But now she was presented with the fact that souls were a real, tangible thing in this place, and that someone was collecting them for...some reason. She sobered when Toriel didn't share her amusement, clutching at her shirt over her stomach. She was serious, really and truly serious that someone was out there somewhere, killing humans who fell here and taking their souls.

This is nuts. This is way too crazy to be real. She had fallen down a hole, met a monster, and now there's another monster that wants to kill her? She closed her eyes tightly, trying to will herself awake from this horrible dream turned nightmare. Sure, meeting a friendly monster was fun and games at first, but now Keeley just wanted it stop so she could wake up. To be at home in her messy bed and her room with stupid kid stuff she hadn't taken down yet, and her clothes that were mostly in her hamper but with a shirt hanging off a chair or the doorknob. That border between clean and messy that always drove her mother insane every time she caught a glimpse inside of Keeley's room when she was leaving for a work shift.

She wanted to go home, there was no doubt about it. She didn't belong here, and if there really was some monster King who wanted her soul, then she probably wasn't welcome here either. But Toriel was a strange anomaly that worked against this, being kind and patient with her while she just sat and stared at her tea.

“I still...” Keeley swallowed against the lump in her throat, “I want to try to get home.”

Immediately Toriel's eyes widened and she opened her mouth, but closed it a second later, her expression tightening before she gave her a smile full of support. “If that is what you wish. I only ask that you at least rest first and eat something.”

“But, I...” She felt safe here, she felt relaxed and like nothing could hurt her. Yet, if she just stayed here, she would never get home and in time, she may never want to leave. Keeley had a life, she had a family who would be worried. But the look on Toriel's face, the quiet concern she had displayed since the moment they had met...it made her pause. “...Okay.”

Toriel seemed pleased with her answer, telling her she could clean herself up in a room down the hall. She shuffled back to the kitchen after that and Keeley followed her directions, entering a hall with a carpet lined with several doors. Counting the doors as she went, taking in the potted plants and warmly colored walls, she eventually reached the door in question. The bathroom behind it was simply decorated, but still clean and pleasant.

She didn't really notice at first, but just a cursory glance around revealed to her that this was a bit different than any bathroom she had ever been in, seeing as there was no sign of a toilet. Do monsters...not need those? That's a weird thought that she didn't really want to explore too deeply. There was, however, a shower and sink. They didn't exactly look a hundred percent similar to anything in her own house, but it was easy to identify what they were. So...monsters have bathrooms, but not toilets? How does that even work? No, no, she hadn't wanted to think too deeply on this.

The water was warm on her hands as she washed them and it had taken until now to notice that she'd had quite a bit of dirt on them. Looking up at her face in the mirror, there were visible splotches and smears on her cheeks and forehead, prompting her to puff her cheeks in annoyance. She had been walking around like this? Washing the dirt from her face, she took a moment to really take her reflection in. Her black hair was messy and a bit unkempt, bangs fading into ombre blond framing her face and looking a bit stringy from sweat. Her blue eyes looked tired and her skin had certainly seen better days and...were those bags? Man, she looked like a real mess, like she hadn't slept a good eight hours in a while.

After her best attempt at cleaning up her hair to make it look less like a disaster, Keeley didn't look nearly as awful as she had when she first walked in. But just stopping to rest for a bit like this, she realized just how tired she felt. What time even was it? Bringing her phone out of her pocket, she looked at the time, revealing it was close to dinner time. This immediately made her worry about her parents. It wasn't uncommon for Keeley to not come home until they were in bed, but come morning they would realize something was wrong when she wasn't there. Her workplace would probably call to ask where she was when she didn't show up for her shift, too.

No, she couldn't obsess over this; when she got home she could explain everything...but probably leave out the monsters. All that happened was that she fell down a hole and had to find her way out of the cave. Yeah, that was believable and wouldn't end in her being dragged off to see a psychiatrist.

She made a final grimace at her face, still feeling pretty uncomfortable with her appearance, before leaving the room and returning to the dining table. There were two place settings and what looked like a pie on the table. Toriel appeared from around the corner, inviting her to sit down. As she took a seat, Keeley wondered, “So, what kind of pie is it?”

“Ah, it is Butterscotch pie with cinnamon.” The kind monster seemed very proud of her creation, practically sparkling as she served up a piece for each plate. Frankly, that sounded really tasty, but normally she wouldn't consider pie as dinner. But, in this instance, she would take what she could get, what with her mouth already salivating at the sight of it.

Keeley took a bite of it, humming in contentment at the pleasant flavors on her tongue. Though it was a bit cheesy, all things considered, she could practically taste the love and care Toriel had put into making this pie. The conversation while she ate was nice too, though Keeley wasn't all that revealing about herself just because, frankly, she didn't think she was that interesting. But Toriel, man, she loved to talk about snails. She didn't think it was even possible to know as many snail facts as Toriel did.

They sat and talked a bit longer when the pie was gone, then Toriel gathered the dishes and headed toward the kitchen. Keeley got up and tried to follow, saying she wanted to help, but was gently shooed away toward a bedroom to rest. Not that she _liked_ doing dishes or anything, but it was a matter of common courtesy to try and help out after someone has taken the time to cook for you.

When he closed the door to the room she had been shown to, Keeley was immediately alerted to the fact that this looked far more suited to a child. There were toys, animals by the bed and a peek inside the dresser and bureau boasted children's clothes. A rack for holding shoes was practically piled high with many pairs of shoes, but some of them looked distinctly larger than a child's, so maybe there had been older humans here in the past? Maybe Toriel found them or...prepared them? That was quite a thought in and of itself, a goat monster preparing for the arrival of humans.

The bed was large enough for her, but that might just be because she was a short, stick of a person. Not exactly a twig, but she wasn't wowing anybody. She removed her sneakers with care and pulled back the covers, not really all that certain she would be able to sleep at all. The mattress was soft and the sheets were comfortable, feeling like they must either be changed frequently, or monsters had some sort of laundry secret that humans had yet to discover. She lay there on her side with her eyes closed for some time, going over the string of events that had lead her to a child's bed in a friendly goat woman's house. If she had woken up today knowing this would happen, she would have just stayed home.

* * *

 

She still felt sleepy when her eyes opened again. It was kind of weird to not hear the birds outside, since they seemed to have made it their mission in life to gather outside her window every morning. In fact, she couldn't hear anything as she became more aware. It was very uncommon to not hear one of her parents banging around in the kitchen downstairs, or the kids next door screaming about something or other. As her eyes opened after a few hesitant seconds, her memory came back to her at the sight of the unfamiliar room. Right, she had fallen down a hole and...

Keeley woke up slowly, taking her time getting out of bed. This was a normal thing for her, as she wasn't exactly a morning person, but she was especially slow as her situation sunk back in. She even played with the laces of her shoes a bit after putting them back on, staring at the room around her without really seeing anything. She kind of wanted to just curl back up and go back to sleep, didn't want to deal with this at all. She could spend an endless amount of time just hiding here in this room, not facing the reality of what it was she had to do. Keeley wanted to leave, she wanted to go home. But going home meant confronting a King of monsters who wanted her soul. For what reason, she didn't know, because Toriel hadn't been forthcoming with that information.

However, even if she didn't like it, she couldn't just stay here and leave her family to worry. They were probably getting pretty frantic by this point, they might even be trying to get the police involved. She tried to keep this from her mind while she made her best attempts at making the bed, though it had never been one of her strong suits. It was a bit messy, and not pristine and tidy like it had been when she found it, but at least it was made. She fixed herself up again in the bathroom so she wouldn't look like a complete mess, then headed toward the living room.

Toriel was reading by the fire when she noticed her enter the room. “Good morning, my child.” Keeley twitched a bit at that, not really used to or liking being called a child and she bit her tongue to keep herself from correcting her. From what little time she had spent with Toriel, she felt like a mother. It was in the way she made sure she was fed, clean and safe. It was also why it was so hard for her to think about leaving.

Keeley was trying to think of a way to bring up how exactly she could get out of here now that she had rested, but Toriel beat her to it. “I know you must be eager to be on your way, but please stay and eat something before you set off.” She twiddled her thumbs a bit while looking at the older woman, but she did feel kind of hungry. “Sure, I'd like that.”

To occupy herself while Toriel was in the kitchen, Keeley examined the bookshelf near the fireplace more closely. It sort of felt like she was in the library, seeing rows of books on snails, from etymology to random facts. There were even some recipe books specifically covering the many ways you could cook and prepare snails. This woman really loved her snails and it showed not only through her knowledge, but her extensive collection on the subject.

She sat herself down at the table as Toriel came back, holding what looked like just another pie at first. Did monsters really like pie or something? Was there some sort of cultural thing she wasn't picking up on? She asked herself a variety of these questions while Toriel served them both.

After her first bite, Keeley wondered just what was in this pie. It was buttery and soft and actually didn't taste half bad. “So, what's in this?”

“Oh, this is one of my favorites, snail pie.”

Keeley paused at hearing this, her chewing slowing down. Huh. It kind of reminded her of some oysters she'd had once at a fancy restaurant she'd been to to celebrate her father's promotion. It wasn't the tastiest thing she had ever had, but it wasn't barf-in-your-mouth gross like she had always thought a snail would taste. At least it was cooked, if nothing else. It would be an entirely different matter if this had just been raw snails. “I've never had a snail before. Doesn't taste as bad as I thought.”

Toriel seemed happy with this, and the rest of their breakfast was filled with talk of more ways to prepare snails. This woman, seriously...

Following breakfast, Toriel reluctantly lead her down the stairs near the front door, a place she hadn't really given much thought about until now. Reaching the base of the stairs, a long hallway stretched onward, but there was enough light from scattered torches to help her see where exactly they were going. It was a quiet walk, though a few times she opened her mouth to try and make conversation with the woman in front of her. But she always ended up closing it, not really sure if words would be what she wanted at the moment.

A large door with carvings on it was around a bend in the hall. This was where Toriel stopped, her hands folded and a look of contemplation on her face. She looked toward Keeley, eyes boring into her own. “Are you certain you won't consider staying?” A pang of guilt bloomed in her chest at the question, and Keeley reflexively clutched at the front of her shirt. Midway through trying to form a response, Toriel answered her own question. “Of course you can't. You must get home to your family.”

That just made her feel worse. This kind woman, monster or not, had been here for...who knew how long by herself, with only a few other monsters as company. Just imagining her being alone all day, every day made Keeley wildly consider staying just another day, just another hour.

A small squeak came from her as she found herself enveloped in a hug. Her arms hung limply at her sides because, this...it was a bit sudden. She wasn't averse to hugs, but she hadn't really been expecting it and she had never been the best at showing physical affection in the last couple years. She just concentrated on the warmth instead, trying to put her lack of personal space on hold. Toriel looked a bit concerned after she pulled back, “Is anything wrong?”

Keeley blew her bangs out of her face, letting out a small laugh. “I'm okay, thanks.” Touch wasn't a big thing in her life, so maybe she was just surprised by it more than anything else. She hadn't gotten hugs from her own mother since she was a kid.

“I only ask two things of you before we part.” Keeley looked down at their joined hands, not even sure when that had happened, but the seriousness in Toriel's voice made her glance back up. “When you leave, I would be grateful if you did not come back.”

Not come back..? Had she done something wrong, offended her? She chewed her lip at this request, but tore herself away from her thoughts. “What's the other?”

“If you happen to see a human child...please, would you make sure they are safe?” She said this with a voice thick with emotion. This felt like a request of a mother asking someone to find their missing child. There was _another_ human here somewhere, a child among monsters. Toriel was good and kind, but could that be said of the monsters outside this door, based on what she had heard about Asgore? Keeley suddenly felt a new sort of fear; of the unknown, of things she didn't understand.

She realized she had just been spacing out and looked Toriel in the eye. “I'm not sure what I can do to keep a kid safe, but...I promise.”

Toriel gave her one last smile, squeezing her hands lightly before letting go. As she watched her walk back toward her home, Keeley felt a bit lonely. It was only for a brief time, but Toriel had been the first um, person, she had met in this place and it was sad having to leave her.

But she swallowed her sadness, turning toward the door, trying to feel a little confidence in herself. She could figure this out, everything was going to be okay. She willed herself to believe this as the pushed the door open.

It didn't quite hit her until the door closed behind her, but...it was snowing. Underground. It was also quite cold.

_What?_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keeley fell into the underground at kind of an interesting time for Toriel. This is probably a few hours after Frisk has left, and she's feeling pretty lousy. Anyone who has played the game and went to follow her after she leaves you at the door knows she went back to the patch of flowers at the beginning. I figured, hey, of course she'd be surprised to see ANOTHER human there. She's happy, but also a bit more detached at first. Keeley is a young woman, an adult, and there is no doubt she will want to leave the underground. Toriel does not want to get attached again, like she did with Frisk. Normally I would peg Toriel as a creature of habit, and she would try to get Keeley to stay like she did with Frisk, but the memory is too new, the wound too raw.
> 
> But she can see that Keeley is scared, that there's a bit of a cloud hanging over her. Her instinct is to nurture, to remove this sadness and present safety. She is not surprised when Keeley asks if there is a way out, but she is still a bit disappointed all the same.
> 
> She offers Keeley the safety and security she needs, if only for a few hours, before sending her off. As with Frisk, she does not want to watch her leave, so she returns to her home and only hopes that these two humans can find each other.
> 
> As a side note, I have a bit of a headcanon based on things presented in the game. We all know monsters have no need for things like toilets, because their food is converted immediately into energy, so there is no waste. But Sans does mention Papyrus showering with his battle body, and there is a shower in the True Lab. So even though you really don't see them in-game, I think most monsters do use them and have them in their homes, barring certain circumstances (if they're an element-based monster like Grillby or such.)
> 
> Also I totally think Toriel would like black tea with cinnamon. It sounds perfect for a piece of Butterscotch Pie.
> 
> ...I will try not to make these long end notes a habit.


	3. Snow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya! I took a bit of a break (read: slacking) from writing the next chapter, but I wanted to get at least one out before I go on vacation for eight days starting tomorrow! I'll be going with a bunch of friends from an Undertale Youtube channel that we all share, so I'm super excited!
> 
> But you didn't come here to see me ramble, so let's go!

_Can I cry as much as I want to?_  
_Can I scream at the top of my lungs?_  
 _Until the snow stops_  
~ Powder Snow, Ayumi Hamasaki

It was cold. Like, way too cold in the snow in ripped jeans and a tank top. The camisole she was wearing beneath it didn't even block a fraction of the cold. Quickly, she untied her flannel shirt from her waist and slipped it on, holding it closed as she looked around.

This was really crazy, pure madness. It looked like she was standing on a snowy trail, surrounded by tall, densely packed trees. It was something straight out of a Christmas special on TV. All that was missing was the remixed holiday music, the reindeer and the cheesy family moral.

Keeley started following the path dotted with snowdrifts, glancing around at the trees around her. Monsters were one thing, but this was snow beneath a mountain. If she wasn't already so focused on her fingers beginning to go numb, maybe she would have spared a thought about the science behind this even being possible. It sounded kind of familiar, so maybe she'd seen it on a science program or learned it in school. But the biting cold made it especially hard to remember at the moment.

Trudging through snow for what had to have been at least five minutes, Keeley found a very peculiarly constructed bridge over a small gap. The supports weren't really even, and maybe the top portion was supposed to be a roof, but it didn't really cover much of anything. She had no trouble inching through the wide gap between them.

Not long afterward, she came across what at first looked like a wooden stand or a shelter for a fair, but peering inside, there was no one there. There were however...a bunch of condiments? What the hell were they even doing here? Why all of the condiments, but not even a hint of anything you'd normally put on them? If this was supposed to be a stand, this was the single weirdest one she had ever seen. A cold wind stirred up the air around her as she looked inside, prompting her to drop her train of thought and remember that she was in the snow and not the middle of a state fair.

Keeley stumbled onward, stopping to hide behind a tree or attempt to tuck her hands into her sleeves, shoving them into her armpits for warmth. She passed a river, a few strange signs and eventually came across another wooden structure. This one was a bit haphazardly put together, but it did at least have a sign. The words that immediately jumped out at her were 'Royal Guardsman.' Well, Toriel had mentioned there being a king, so it wasn't too far out of the realm of logic that he would have guards...

But there were no guards here. She hadn't seen a single living thing since she'd left the ruins. Just snow, trees and these structures that she now understood were guard stations. Weren't there supposed to be monsters here? Then again, the ruins would mean this was a remote place for this realm, so maybe they stayed out of the woods? Well, save for the guards, clearly.

Keeley groaned uncomfortably as she felt the snow beginning to seep through the canvas of her shoes. She tried to sidestep the big clumps of snow on the path as she continued forward, but sometimes there was no avoiding it.

A third station came into view, also empty. For a bunch of guards, these guys seemed to be pretty bad at their jobs. There were dog treats on the ground near the station, though she couldn't really fathom why. Maybe the monster had a dog? But that would imply they had pets. Were pets a thing that monsters had?

This was a bit of a strange train of thought she had come upon. She was so busy pondering the idea of monsters having cats or dogs that she failed to notice where she was going. Keeley only realized it when her foot hit a patch of ice, forcing her forward with her own momentum being used against her. She wheeled her arms to try and keep her balance, slamming into something hard a few seconds later.

Dazed, she sat there in the snow until her vision stopped spinning, looking up to see what she hit. It was a wooden sign that appeared to have directions for the area. Standing up, she looked at the writing while dusting the snow from her clothes, cringing. Great, now she was cold _and_ wet.

The sign didn't really detail much at first glance. Her frown grew deeper as she read further, becoming increasingly convinced that this sign was merely placed as a joke. Who writes directions for snow? You could tell just by looking around that it was everywhere. But the last line made her pause, claiming a place called 'Snowdin' was to the east, with a helpful arrow pointing in that direction. Now, this was the first sign of civilization she had seen since falling down here. Toriel's home had been comforting, but it was in the middle of a bunch of ruins. This promised an actual town. A town of monsters, but a town nonetheless.

With a shiver, Keeley kept walking, following the path and keeping a much closer eye on the ground in front of her. She felt pretty miserable now, but had to admit that the scenery was pleasant. Snow had always been a thing she enjoyed looking at, sometimes even walking in. But the current situation was really putting a damper on her love for it. There was no way she could have known that beyond that door in the ruins was a winter wonderland. It didn't stop her from being sour about it, though.

She had thought the layout of the ruins was a bit strange, but as she continued along, she passed some pretty weird stuff. Retracted spikes—actual spikes—what looked like a floor puzzle and plenty of odd signs. Though eventually she did reach another guard post surrounded by...snow sculptures? Some were just long columns of snow, but others actually bent at angles and most of them ended with a carefully crafted dog head. It was hard to call them sculptures because they didn't really look like any she had seen, but it was about the old word that fit. The guard post was deserted like all of the rest, but it was filled with what appeared to be dog treats.

Keeley sighed in annoyance as she came across another patch of ice, stretching clear through a tunnel of trees. She tried to walk slowly and carefully through it, but ended up slipping and sliding the entire way. By the time she'd made it through, she was cursing and swearing on her mother's life that she didn't want to see any more ice for a very, very long time.

The path split when she emerged from the icy tunnel, but she decided that sticking to the path forward was the best choice, seeing as the sign had pointed straight on. A doghouse was nestled among many small lumps of snow, but when she crouched and looked inside, there was no dog inside. So monsters _did_ have pets? Or wait, maybe there were dog monsters? Toriel was a goat monster, so this wasn't too unusual to assume. Not finding a dog, or anyone else for that matter, she eventually came to a bridge.

It was long and thin, stretching across a chasm and rocking slowly side to side. Keeley tested it a few times with her foot, using varying amounts of pressure. Eventually she placed her full weight on it, ready to jump backward at a moment's notice if she felt even a slight hint of it giving way. But not hearing anything crack or break, she concluded that the bridge seemed pretty sturdy, though she kept a death grip on the ropes as she moved slowly across. She almost wanted to fall to her knees and kiss the ground upon reaching the other side. Heights had never been an issue for her, but there was just something about being on a bridge in the middle of a snowy forest that made her stomach turn.

There really did seem to be a town up ahead, and the lights in the distance were warm and comforting, urging her onward. A large, conspicuous sign heralded her arrival in Snowdin proper, decorated with colorful Christmas lights. Just beyond, there were two connected buildings, both clearly labeled as a shop and an inn. The lights were even more inviting up close as Keeley carefully approached the shop, peering inside one of the windows. She could see movement from behind the counter, but not clearly enough to catch a glimpse of the shopkeeper.

Another cold gust hit her, quickly reminding Keeley of her damp jeans and lackluster defense against the cold, prompting her to open the door and step inside. A small bell attached to the door jingled cheerfully as she stepped in, signaling her arrival. There was more movement from further back behind the counter and a humanoid rabbit monster wearing a summery hat and tank top popped out.

“Hiya! Welcome to Snowdin!”

“Th-thanks...” She mumbled softly under her breath, giving the shopkeeper a hesitant smile.

The rabbit monster leaned forward on one of her arms, looking at Keeley curiously. “We seem to be getting new faces here lately Why, just yesterday another newcomer rolled in. Are you a tourist? Here by yourself?”

While the questions felt kind of probing, it was only natural to ask someone you didn't recognize. She twiddled her thumbs idly, looking down at her feet. “I'm here by myself and um, yeah, you could probably consider me a tourist.”

The shopkeeper was incredibly friendly and accommodating from the instant she'd walked in, answering all of her questions readily. In fact, she didn't even seem to realize that Keeley wasn't a monster. Or maybe, she really didn't care, which was not what she was expecting.

“So, what is there to do in Snowdin?” Keeley asked, trying to keep the conversation going and not fall into an uncomfortable silence. She didn't exactly consider herself a social butterfly—really she could spend days not talking to anyone and be just fine—but it might be suspicious if she just went silent and looked nervous.

The rabbit-like shopkeeper seemed thrilled to talk about the town, mentioning a place called Grillby's, a library, the inn—“My sister runs the place!”—and something about 'wacky skeletons.'

When she finished her explanation of the local facilities, Keeley figured it couldn't hurt to ask about the ruins. Indeed, like she had suspected when she saw that gigantic, deserted city, all of the monsters in the underground used to live there. They just decided to leave one day (the rabbit didn't really specify the reason) and some of them decided to stay and set up in Snowdin because they liked the cold. Keeley really wasn't sure why _anyone_ would actually stay somewhere cold and snowy, but maybe monsters had different preferences. Or maybe there were a lot of fuzzy monsters like the shopkeeper?

The next thing the shopkeeper said caught her attention, more than anything else that had been said. She just casually mentioned how, everyone in town might sometimes look sad, but they're all hopeful and optimistic that soon, they'll be free. Keeley didn't really understand what she was talking about. Free? Weren't they free now? Toriel's words about the human souls came to mind and she tried to suppress a shudder. Right...they needed souls, or at least their King was focused on getting them. He only needed one more...

She tried to put this thought out of her mind. Standing there and grimacing would make her look anything but inconspicuous. Instead, she talked a bit more with the shopkeeper before leaving, getting a cheery farewell as she stepped outside.

After being in the warmth for a bit, the cold hits her harder than before. Holding her flannel shirt closed, she quickly takes the few steps needed to reach the door of the inn.

The inn was just as warm and cheerful as the shop. True to the shopkeeper's word, the innkeeper was also a bunny. She gave Keeley a kind smile, a smaller bunny poking their head up from behind the counter. She immediately received a cheery“Welcome!” upon entering.

The innkeeper asked her a few of the same questions as the shopkeeper had and Keeley answered without giving too much away. She really hated being so guarded, but Toriel's warning still had her very much on edge. It was after the usual pleasantries that the innkeeper said, “It's eighty G per night, if you're looking to stay.”

Keeley was confused at first, picturing literal gold bars, but didn't ask her to clarify. An irrational fear at the back of her mind thought that if she did so, she'd be dragged off to this Asgore guy. It was an incredibly paranoid thought and it was beginning to get pretty exhausting, but he sounded pretty scary.

It was just as cold as she remembered when she stepped outside once more. But now she did wonder just where the heck she'd be staying in the event she got tired. She was trying to think up indiscriminate ways to inquire about G and a way to obtain it. Keeley didn't want to outright mug someone. Of course, she probably looked like a disrespectful punk to some people, but she'd never resort to theft.

She was still pondering when she stopped outside of the much-talked-about Grillby's, her nose immediately picking up the pleasant smell of food. A large, bipedal bear was standing off to the side near the building, seemingly content in the cold with it's coat. Looking inside the front window, Keeley could see a variety of monsters sitting at tables, in booths and at the bar. The scene looked warm and inviting, but the thing that made her pause was what appeared to be a large white dog in a suit of armor. Sitting at the table were a pair of shaggy dogs with large axes and a stern looking dog with a biscuit sticking out of his mouth. Behind the group was a smaller white dog, also wearing armor, seemingly playing cards with itself. It was only a guess, but based on the armor, she thought that at least one or two of them must be members of the Royal Guard. That armor couldn't be just for show and as cold as she was, she didn't want to chance stepping inside and being accosted on entry.

Keeley decided to walk further into town instead, passing by the 'Librarby', seeing a few other monsters and even what looked like a Christmas tree. So monsters either knew what Christmas was, or maybe they had their own version of it. Anyone who did look at her just gave her a polite nod or a friendly greeting. She finally started to relax, thinking that the monsters here either didn't realize she was human or (much more positively) they just didn't mind.

Her wandering lead her into what seemed to be the residential part of town, branching off to the north, while a single house lay straight ahead. She could hear children playing in the distance and was reminded of the block where her house sat on the surface. Keeley felt another, more pronounced pang of worry in her stomach, feeling a bit small as she stood there with her arms around herself while monsters were just going on about their lives.

Keeley had been ignored for the most part by the monsters other than typical pleasantries, but now she could hear talking. It also appeared to be directed at her.

A gasp tore out of her throat as she fell backward right onto her ass as a shape suddenly popped in front of her. She craned her neck up to see just what the hell was going on to see, of all things, a skeleton in some sort of strange costume. Wait, go back a second. A skeleton. Were skeletons considered monsters also? Was this a special kind of skeleton? Oh god, it was talking to her—this was the voice she'd been hearing.

The skeleton's voice was a bit loud, booming at certain points. But she finally focused long enough to catch something about 'human', 'friend' and 'capture.' She zeroed in on that last word, eyes widening as her mouth hung open. Oh geez, she just knew this would happen eventually. Maybe those dogs in that restaurant had seen her walking past and alerted the townspeople.

She jerked in surprise as a gloved hand reached down and her brain processed this a bit slowly, but her hand did the work for her and automatically came up to take it.

Keeley was pulled to her feet, immediately looking up at the skeleton. Holy crap, she had thought he was tall before, but even while standing, he towered over her five foot three frame. She had never really had a problem with anyone being taller than her, but that was a completely different story when it was a tall skeleton monster. You don't exactly run into those commonly where she was from.

“HUMAN, I MUST APOLOGIZE FOR STARTLING YOU.” She twitched a bit, still not quite used to the volume of his voice. “BUT OF COURSE, A HUMAN WOULD BE IN AWE OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS!”

Papyrus? So, maybe that was his name? She snorted quietly in amusement as the ever-hated font came to mind. He seemed to take her little smirk as encouragement, continuing with, “WHAT IS ANOTHER HUMAN DOING IN SNOWDIN?”

Keeley quickly glanced around, afraid that the volume of his voice would immediately attract others when he mentioned the word 'human.' But there didn't seem to be any other monsters in the are. The mention of it reminded her of Toriel saying something about a small child.

Breathing out quietly, Keeley played with a strand of her hair nervously. “I um, fell down a hole and ended up here. Now...I'm just trying to get home.” Frankly, this was only the second monster that had approached her of their own free will and while he was a bit overwhelming, this Papyrus guy didn't seem like he was bad.

“THE HUMAN ALSO MENTIONED TRYING TO GO HOME.” By 'the human', she assumed he meant the child. This confirmed that the kid was still alive when they had passed through Snowdin, so maybe they were somewhere up ahead. Though she had no way of knowing just how long it had been since this child left Snowdin.

“I TOLD THE HUMAN TO GO SEE KING ASGORE. I'M SURE IF THEY ASK NICELY, HE WILL LET THEM CROSS THE BARRIER.”

A lump formed in her throat upon hearing that anyone looking to leave the underground would have go to through Asgore. But Papyrus didn't seem to notice how nervous she had gotten. “THE KING IS WONDERFUL AND KIND. I'M CERTAIN HE WILL LET THE HUMAN GO HOME IF THEY ASK NICELY.”

This was a contrasting opinion to what Toriel had told her. The shopkeeper and innkeeper hadn't referenced him directly, but she did recall hearing monsters speaking to each other while she was exploring the town mentioning Asgore. From what she'd overheard, they seemed to think he was a good and gentle King. But she couldn't erase the image of a dark, horrifying figure blocking her only exit home. Toriel had been the only monster to say directly that Asgore was a horrible man and would kill her. All other opinions she had heard were the complete opposite.

Keeley was ripped from her train of thought as she sneezed, rubbing her nose with a groan. This only reminded her that she had fallen on her ass two times today and she was under dressed for this sort of weather as is.

Papyrus perked up, leaning down a bit to look at her face. “HUMAN, ARE YOU COLD? SKELETONS DO NOT GET COLD, BUT IT SEEMS HUMANS ARE NOT IMMUNE.” He seemed proud of this fact, posing dramatically as his red scarf flapped in the wind. The corner of her mouth turned up slightly as she shivered again from the cold. That sneeze had really made her realize just how cold she was after being in the snow for this long.

“HUMAN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME INSIDE?”

Keeley looked up at him in surprise, taking a moment to make sure she had actually heard that correctly. To be honest, getting out of the cold sounded amazing, but she held back from immediately responding. Hadn't there been something about 'capturing' earlier? She didn't feel like Papyrus was dangerous at all, but there were a lot of unknowns. But as she shifted her feet slightly to feel her toes beginning to lose feeling, she came to a decision.

“Yeah, that sounds great.”

Damn the consequences. This was much better than freezing her ass off another minute.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably my least favorite chapter I have written thus far. I'm terrrrrible at writing travelling segments, but I didn't want to just jump straight to Snowdin. I'm one of those writers who likes to make their characters suffer and Keeley just really needed to have a bad day before things got a bit better.
> 
> I may come back and touch it up someday.


	4. Quick Update!

Hey!

It's been like...what, just over three months since I've updated? I wanted to drop a quick explenation for this!

Number one...I love procrastinating! I'm a terrible procrastinator and I freely admit my guilt on this! Number two, I ran into a bit of a writer's block, or rather the inability to get the drive to write. I had the ideas, but not the motivation to sit down and do it. I have been planning chapters though, so it hasn't just been three months of me avoiding it. Number three...I did get Breath of the Wild during July, so that contributed to my absence. I've been done with it for a while and moved on to other games, which didn't help matters, yeah? Number four, I tend to get story ideas faster than I can write the actual stories. So I'll be working on one, then get an idea for another and I need to write down anything I can on that idea before it escapes me.

But I'm hoping to get at least a chapter out this month, two if I can manage it. Cause I do want to continue this story and someday finish it! I apologize for any confusion my absence may have caused, but I'm here! 

Thanks for your time!


	5. Another Update!

I literally have no excuse other than lack of creativity and laziness for not updating this. I am still working on it! I really am! But I get so easily distracted sometimes I wonder how I get anything done. As I mentioned before in my previous update, I get ideas faster than I can write them. It doesn't help that playing games I really enjoy sets my mind into overdrive and makes me want to write stories for them.

But I want to buckle down over the next few days and try to bang out a chapter for this story. I've been somewhat inactive in the fandom for a bit, so I need to remember characters and such, but I'm still so, so thankful for the kudos and comments I got on this story with only three chapters.

I can't promise a chapter in a few days, but I swear, I will get another one out before the end of March. Though I will try my hardest to not keep you waiting too long!


End file.
